A classically trained dancer is using her expertise to raise the spirits and flexibility of people with Parkinsons disease.

Heather Waldon, of Woodside, who has performed at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, recently started teaching therapeutic dance routines in Forest Hills for those with the degenerative disease.

I love seeing the joy of the people who have Parkinsons and seeing them do pretty sophisticated choreography, said Waldon, 41, who has taught at NYU and other universities.

The free classes, which are held on the third Friday of every month, are part of a recent expansion into Queens by the Mark Morris Dance Group and Brooklyn Parkinson Groups Dance for PD program.

We wanted to provide this resource to them in their own neighborhood, said David Leventhal, the program manager.

The class, which is meant to be more recreational than a rigorous physical therapy session, helps people with their coordination, flexibility and rhythm.

All of these seem to fit Parkinsons like a glove, he said.

The BambooMoves yoga studio on Queens Blvd., where the classes are held, donated the space to the program.

Leventhal said he hopes to grow the program into a weekly operation with multiple locations in the borough.

Early adopters of Dance for PD, which began in Forest Hills in July, said they feel empowered during the vibrant sessions.

Read more here:
Using dance to deal with Parkinson’s